Dimmer switches and electrical dimming devices can include the ability to completely disconnect the power that is provided to the load. The ability to completely disconnect the power may be necessary when maintenance needs to be completed on the load. Examples of maintaining a load can include, but are not limited to, changing a burned-out light bulb or florescent tube.
In conventional dimmer switches, when the dimmer setting is set at the lowest level a load will appear to be completely off. However, in this state there is still a measurable leakage current through the dimmer that may be potentially dangerous. Therefore, conventional dimmers are required to have a mechanical switch to fully open the circuit for purposes of conducting maintenance on the load. This mechanical switch is typically referred to as an air gap switch.
Most conventional air-gap mechanisms use a plastic pull-down switch that protrudes downwardly from the bottom of the switch faceplate. This pull-down switch is oriented parallel with and against the wall. When the circuit is closed, the air-gap actuator is slightly visible below the faceplate. To open the circuit, air-gap actuator is pulled downward or outward. The actuator manipulates a mechanical air-gap switch in response to the movement. Unfortunately this conventional design has several drawbacks, including the fact that the actuator has only one function, is rarely needed yet it is visible and unattractive along its positioning on the faceplate and it when it protrudes from the faceplate.
Furthermore, due to technological advances, changes to local and national codes, and consumer preferences, modern electrical switches need to have more features and additional capabilities. Examples of these features include, occupancy sensing, night lights, ambient light level detection, dimming, dimmer level notification, as well as the numerous types of manually adjustable electrical switches themselves. Individually, the use of one of these features is not problematic. However, as more and more of these features are desired in a single switching device, the amount of space to provide for these features on the faceplate of the switch is increasingly restricted. The ability to combine one or more features with the air gap switch and also possible hiding the air gap switch along the faceplate would provide increased flexibility and consumer satisfaction.